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Pinecones are a fantastic addition to almost all types of fall and winter home DIY decor projects from wreaths to table centers. Using scented pinecones takes this idea to the next level without having to spend a fortune.
Once you know how to make scented pine cones with essential oils, you can use them in many different ways to add an aroma and visual appeal to your home decor as well as your gifts. Scroll down to find lots more ideas on how to use your scented pinecones.
DIY scented pine cones are one of those super easy and fun projects for the whole family. It does not take up too much time, nor does it require you to buy a whole lot of stuff. This is one of those Holiday projects that fit into any budget.
At this time of the year, you can find plenty of pine cones strewn around under any pine tree so you don’t have to buy any. If you plan in advance, you can even make your own essential oils using herbs from your garden so you don’t have to buy anything when you want to make scented pine cones with essential oils.
Don’t like the idea of rambling around outdoors collecting your own pine cones? You can find bags of pine cones online in various combinations. They don’t cost too much either.
You can buy bags of loose pine cones and use them however you want or you can even get them as hanging ornaments, garlands, or table decorations. All you need to do is add your selected scent and place them wherever you want.
How to Scent Pinecones With Essential Oils
Things you will need:
- Pinecones
- Essential oils of your choice
- Plastic spray bottle
- Ziplock bag
There are two main ways to make Christmas pine cones.
Method #1 – Using Concentrated Essential Oils
The first way you can make scented pinecones with essential oils is simply by combining pinecones with your chosen essential oils.
Put your pine cones in a large plastic ziplock bag and put a few drops of essential oils into the bag. You can use just one scent or a combination of seasonal scents. Using seasonal blends also works great when you want to make scented pine cones.
Zip up the bag and shake well so the essential oil gets spread over all the pine cones. You do not have to soak the pine cones completely. Just make sure you spray each one at least 2-3 times so they have a fair amount of oil.
Let it sit for a few hours while the pine cones absorb the oils to get the strongest scent possible.
Remove the scented pine cones from the plastic bag and let them air-dry on a newspaper.
Because this method uses concentrated essential oils, the pine cones will have a much stronger scent and the scent will also last much longer.
Method #2 – Combining Essential Oils with Water
Combining essential oils with water allows the scent to be a little subtler and not so overpowering, but it also uses less of your oils so it costs less money as well. These are great when using them to top presents or add to other scented items at home when decorating for the holidays.
For this idea, you will once again have pinecones in a large ziplock bag. However, instead of putting the oils directly into the bag, you put a few drops of oil in a spray bottle that contains distilled water. Shake the bottle gently.
Spray this diluted essential oil solution into the ziplock bag, seal it and give it a gentle shake. Once again, it helps to let them sit like this to soak up the oils and get the strongest scent you can.
These are two of the easiest ways to make scented pine cones with essential oils.
You might want to try them with just a few pine cones to see how you like the scent, then continue the method with more if you are going to make a big bowl of them or give them out as gifts.
One of the joys of learning to make Christmas pine cones with essential oils is that you can customize the fragrance using different seasonal scents or blends.
Best Essential Oils & Blends to Use for Your DIY Scented Pinecones
Cinnamon, Peppermint, Sweet Orange, and Fir Needle are some of the more popular seasonal scents for the Holidays. During the Holiday season, you can either scent your pinecones using these individual essential oils by themselves or you can use any of these Christmas Essential Oil Blends.
Scented Pinecones with these Fall Essential Oil Blends will fill your home with warm aromas during the Fall season.
Using essential oil scented pinecones is an easy way to fill your home with the wonderful scents of the season. If you like the idea and are planning on using your scented pinecones all year long, I highly recommend buying a set of essential oils instead of buying individual bottles of different oils. This Top 14 Essential Oil Set by Plant Therapy includes a nice assortment of oils that you can use for this and all other DIY projects that involve essential oils. Read my detailed review of Plant Therapy’s Top 14 Essential oil Set or buy the set directly at Plant Therapy’s online store.
How to Prep Your Pine Cones before Scenting
If you are using pine cones that you picked up on a walk, the first thing you need to do is to make sure they do not contain any residual sap and that there are no little critters living in them. The last thing you want is bugs crawling around your Christmas décor.
Both of these can be achieved by placing the fresh pine cones on a foil-lined cookie sheet and heating in a 300 °F for about 30 to 45 minutes.
If the pine cones are still damp or closed, keep them in the oven for another 10 to 15 minutes.
After taking them out of the oven, let them come to room temperature before adding the essential oil.
Precautions When Making Scented Pine Cones with Essential Oils
You must wear gloves during this process as pure oils are very strong and can irritate the skin.
Avoid using a plastic spray bottle. Glass is a better alternative. Concentrated essential oils are very strong and can eat away at the plastic if left in the container for a long period of time.
For the same reason, you should not leave your essential oils in the zip lock bag for too long.
How Long Do Scented Pine Cones Last?
When you make scented pine cones with essential oils, the scent will be strongest for the first 7 to 10 days, especially if you use concentrated oils. It will start to slowly fade away after that.
The scent will fade away faster if you use diluted essential oils to scent the pine cones.
How To Refresh Scented Pine Cones
Refreshing scented pine cones is super easy and will take only a few minutes. For a subtle aroma, simply spray the pine cones with a diluted essential oil solution.
If you want a stronger scent, you will have to put the pine cones in a ziplock bag, put a few drops of your essential oil into the bag, shake it up to distribute the oil, and keep it for a few minutes to let the pine cones absorb the oil and the scents. Remove from the bag and place them back where you removed them from.
When refreshing scented pine cones, you do not have to use the same scent as you originally did. You can change it up however you want to suit the occasion.
How To Make Cinnamon-Scented Pine Cones
The easiest way to make cinnamon-scented pine cones is by following the same procedure above and using a few drops of cinnamon essential oil.
If you do not have cinnamon essential oil handy, you can use cinnamon powder. It’s a bit messier to make DIY cinnamon-scented pine cones using powder but it is well worth it as they smell great!
To make cinnamon-scented pine cones using cinnamon powder you will first have to dilute all-purpose glue with a little water. Do not dilute it too much – just enough so you can apply it to the pine cones with a paintbrush.
Put the cinnamon powder in a Ziploc bag.
Brush each pinecone gently with a light coat of the diluted glue, making sure to cover all the nooks and crannies.
Leave the pine cone aside for a few minutes for the glue to dry a bit while you get on with prepping the other pine cones.
Add the pine cones to the bag with the cinnamon powder. Seal it properly and shake well so the cinnamon powder covers the pine cones. Leave the bag closed for a few hours.
Be careful when taking your cinnamon-scented pine cones out of the bag. The loose cinnamon powder will fall everywhere. To avoid making extra work for yourself, place a large newspaper on the work table to catch any cinnamon powder that falls.
Once the pine cones are fully dry, they are ready to use.
Other Ideas for Using Your Scented Pine Cones
You can use scented pine cones for just about any occasion or purpose.
Add a couple of scented pinecones to your gift wrapping or place a few in your gift basket. Choose a fall aroma to scent a Thanksgiving gift or one of these Christmas aromas for a Christmas gift.
At Thanksgiving, scent pine cones with any of these Thanksgiving Diffuser Blends.
Instead of using a room spray to freshen up any room, use scented pine cones as part of your decoration. For this purpose, you would scent the pine cones with an essential oil that has a fresh or woody scent. Scenting your pine cones with one of these Wonderful Winter Wood and Forest Essential Oil Blends will infuse your space with refreshing aromas that mimic the outdoors.
Placing pine cones scented with Aphrodisiac Essential Oils is a super way to set the mood for a night of passion and romance. You can either scent the pine cones using individual aphrodisiac essential oils or you can use these seductive Romantic Essential Oil Blends.
If you are using pine cones during the Christmas season, using these essential oil blends will fill your home with the wonderful scents of the season:
Essential Oil Blends that Smell Like a Christmas Tree
Peppermint Candy Cane Essential Oil Blend
Traditional Christmas Essential Oil Blends
Gingerbread Essential Oil Blends
Fabulous Fruity Christmas Blends
Besides filling your home with the wonderful scents of the season, you also get the healing benefits of the oil when you decorate your home with pine cones scented with essential oils.
Once you learn how to make scented pine cones with essential oils, you can use your scented creations to add a touch of festive aroma to your mantle decorations, Christmas wreaths, table setting, flower arrangements, and just about anywhere around the home.
You can also use your DIY scented pine cones to top Christmas gifts or place them in a pretty container and give them away as gifts.
There truly is no limit to the ways you can use pine cones scented with essential oils. How did you use your scented pine cones? Share your ideas in the comments below!
Disclaimer: This information is not intended to serve as medical advice. Please consult your physician before using essential oils. See Full Disclaimer here.
